Thursday, March 10, 2016

Helping to keep Kids Safe Online!

A well researched Media Release with numerous links to help you keep your family Safe Online!

Ontario Provincial Police News Portal [CENTRAL REGION HEADQUARTERS] PARTNERSHIP KIDS SAFE ONLINE GAMes 2016-03-03 FROM/DE: OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit DATE: March 1, 2016 OPP, Provincial Strategy, BROADCASTER EXTEND PARTNERSHIP KIDS SAFE ONLINE GAMes (ORILLIA, ON) –The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and its broadcast partner at YTV are launching the latest in a popular series of free, interactive online safety games.

Corus Entertainment continues its valued, eight-year partnership with the OPP and the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet with “Frantic Road”. Frantic Road is the newest online game on YTV.com where players can only continue by successfully answering cyber-safety questions. YTV is also reinforcing the safety messages on-air through several animated billboards and live host mentions of the games and other available resources.

The OPP reminds parents and young people that the virtual world and the internet can be great tools when used wisely. Young people and their guardians are urged to recognize the risks associated with the attractions of the online world. In order to better protect children from online predators, parents and guardians can:

Be involved and know their child’s online activity;

Make sure children are cautious with what they post when using social media and video cameras;

Unplug web cams when they’re not in use;

Remind children to protect their passwords and encourage them not to share passwords with friends; and,

Know their child’s online friends the same way they know friends in real life.

Since launching the campaign with YTV in 2008, there have been over 400,000 online cyber safety game plays and over 38,000 people have visited Dr. Frantic’s Cyber Saf-e-Drills “Tips Page”, suggesting that the direct messaging is reaching the target audience, and that parents and children alike are receiving valuable information in a fun, educational environment. The Internet safety games have proven so successful that, during the 2011 campaign, YTV decided to offer not only its new game but all of the previous years’ games as well.

The OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit of the Investigation and Support Bureau administers the operations of the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet, while coordinating the work of the 26 participating police services, victim service providers and the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG).

QUOTE

“The Internet and social media provide excellent learning and interactive opportunities for young people. But it opens other doors to those who would exploit and victimize them. The OPP and our various partners are committed to providing kids, parents and guardians the information they need to understand the risks, such as cyberbullying and exploitation, while learning and playing in the digital universe.”

–Commissioner J. V. N. (Vince) HAWKES, OPP

“The partnership with Corus/YTV has increasingly proven to be an overwhelming success with last year’s victim education and awareness campaign greatly exceeding our expectations. The results speak volumes toward the program’s benefit and are a strong indication as to why the Provincial Strategy should continue with this valued partnership. Efforts like this help us help children, teens and parents educate themselves to ensure their Internet experience – through games or social networks – can be as rewarding as they want it to be…and as safe as it needs to be.”

– Det. Staff Sgt. Frank Goldschmidt-- OPP

Coordinator of Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet

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LEARN MORE

To access the YTV.com game Frantic Road: http://promos.ytv.com/opp2016/default.aspx

For information to youth about online safety and to help overcome victimization, visit the Need Help Now website.

Canadian Centre for Child Protection internet safety site: www.thedoorthatsnotlocked.ca

For more information about Internet Safety Tips for parents, go to:

https://needhelpnow.ca/app/en/parent_info-talking_tips

Media Contact: Det. Staff Sgt. Frank GOLDSCHMIDT

OPP – Coordinator of Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from

Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet

Office: 705-330-3245

Mobile: 416-807-5995

Posted at 09:46 PM